The embodiments herein provide an internet-based virtual travel system and method that allows people (viewers or virtual travelers) to explore any destination or location in real-time without having to be physically present at those destinations or locations by means of other people (serving as guides or virtual travel guides) who are physically present at the destinations or locations and use one or more mobile devices and/or wearable devices and/or accessories to stream real-time video. The internet-based virtual travel system enables viewers or virtual travelers to find and hire guides or virtual travel guides, virtually explore any destination or location anywhere in the world in real-time via guides or virtual travel guides, receive personalized recommendations regarding virtual exploration (virtual travel) options, make payments for virtual exploration (virtual travel) sessions, visualize virtual exploration (virtual travel) sessions on an interactive map or other forms of visualization, view promotions or product placements incorporated by guides or virtual travel guides during virtual exploration (virtual travel) sessions, engage in real-time virtual shopping via guides or virtual travel guides, and make bookings for physical trips after virtual exploration (virtual travel) sessions.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A system comprising: a communicator device for an entity, the communicator device comprising a graphical user interface, and a first circuitry for audio and communication connected to the Internet through a first network, the first network being different from the Internet; a video device for a user, the video device comprising a camera, a second circuitry for audio and communication connected to the Internet through a second network, the second network being different from the Internet and the first network, wherein the video device is configured to be horizontally mounted by adjustable members of a mounting kit, wherein the camera is configured to face downwardly toward ground for focusing the camera on a prism within the mounting kit that is in-line with a lens of the camera to provide a forward looking view from a perspective of the user, wherein the mounting kit is a necklace mount configured to be bound around a neck of the user, wherein the necklace mount is configured to secure the camera such that hands of the user are free from holding the video device; and a third circuitry connecting the communicator device to the video device through the first network and the second network, respectively, the third circuitry communicating a data file from the communicator device to the video device to enable the user to find, perceive and use one or more products of interest to the entity, the third circuitry communicating from the video device to the communicator device a video characterizing interactions and feedback of the user with the one or more products during the finding, perceiving and using of the one or more products, wherein the third circuitry is configured to improve quality and stability of the video by: separating data packets within the video; assigning the data packets to a plurality of channels associated with at least one of the first network or the second network, wherein the separated data packets are assigned to the plurality of channels based on a continuous assessment of latency of data transmission within one or more of the plurality of channels; transmitting, over the plurality of channels, the data packets with meta data indicating information regarding sequence of each packet within the video; and combining the transmitted data packets from different channels of the plurality of channels based on the meta data.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third circuitry is configured to: receive the data file from the communicator device; transmit the data file to the video device; receive the video from the video device; analyze, from the video, interactions and feedback of the user while the user finds, perceives and uses the one or more products to generate an analysis specific to the user; generate, based on the analysis, personalized suggestions for the entity; and transmit the personalized suggestions to the communicator device.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the third circuitry generates a real-time interactive visualization that indicates current and past movements of the user while finding, perceiving and using the one or more products; and the third circuitry generates personalized suggestions for the entity based on the real-time interactive visualization, the third circuitry including the personalized suggestions for the entity in the video.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third circuitry enables the video device to provide a real-time ability to the user to make purchases of the one or more products via the video device.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the third circuitry enables the communicator device to allow the entity to pay for participation of the user for the finding, the perceiving or the using of the one or more products, the third circuitry is configured to permit the entity to pay via multiple options comprising cash, one or more credit cards, one or more bank transfers, one or more intermediaries, one or more payment systems, one or more mobile payments, one or more email payments, and one or more virtual currencies.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third circuitry generates video images, text, interactive ads, real-time location aware promotions, and product placements that are incorporated into the video.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the third circuitry comprises a database that collects and stores data of the user as the user finds, perceives, and uses the one or more products while using the video device, the data comprising characteristics, interests, preferences, demographics, psychographics, virtual exploration sessions, locations, mapping, interactions, selections, intent, payments, purchases, advertisements, promotions, product placements, one or more videos, audio, images, text messaging, activities, and movements of the user; and the third circuitry generating personalized suggestions for the entity based on the collected and stored data.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third circuitry comprises a server that communicates the data file stored in a database over the Internet through the second network to the video device.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video device is a smart device capable of wirelessly transmitting the video through the second network to the communicator device, wherein the video is transmitted to the communicator device via the third circuitry and further through the first network.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communicator device is a smart device configured to: transmit the data file through the first network to the video device, wherein the data file is transmitted via the third circuitry and further through the second network; and receive, via the third circuitry and in response to the transmission of the data file, the video from the video device.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communicator device, the video device and the third circuitry communicate with each other through wireless communication protocols through the first network, the second network, and the Internet, the wireless communication protocols comprising WiFI, Bluetooth and Cellular phone protocols.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the video device comprises a three-axis gyroscope sensor that stabilizes the video.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third circuitry is configured to perform image correction within the video in response to missing data packets in the video, the image correction being performed by using the data packets before and/or after the missing data packets.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third circuitry is configured to generate one or more personalized suggestions for the entity in real time based on one or more preferences of the entity comprising an image quality of the video.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the data file is one or more of a text, audio, photo or another video that are transmitted via live streaming or a prerecorded format; and the video is one of a live streaming video or a prerecorded video.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein: the video device comprises a smartphone and a cord; and the cord is attached to a mono earbud, a microphone, and the camera that are external to the smartphone.
17. A system comprising: a communicator device for an entity comprising a graphical user interface, and a first circuitry connected to the Internet through a first network; a video device for a user comprising a camera, and a second circuitry connected to the Internet through a second network; a third circuitry connecting the communicator device to the video device through the first and second networks, respectively, the third circuitry communicating a data file from the communicator device to the video device to enable the user to find, perceive, and use one or more products of interest to the entity, the third circuitry communicating from the video device to the communicator device a video characterizing interactions and feedback of the user with the one or more products during the finding, perceiving and using of the one or more products, at least one of the data file or the video comprising a live stream or a prerecorded video with an audio or a text component, wherein the third circuitry is configured to perform image correction within at least one of the data file or the video in response to missing data packets in at least one of the data file or the video, the image correction being performed by using the data packets before and/or after the missing data packets; and a mounting kit comprising adjustable members for horizontally mounting the video device, wherein the camera is configured to face downwardly toward ground for focusing the camera on a prism within the mounting kit that is in-line with a lens of the camera to provide a forward looking view from a perspective of the user, wherein the mounting kit is a necklace mount configured to be bound around a neck of the user, wherein the necklace mount is configured to secure the camera such that hands of the user are free from holding the video device and such that the video is stable.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the third circuitry generates, based on the finding, perceiving and using by the user, inferences about a manner in which the user finds, perceives and uses the one or more products.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 31, 2014
March 2, 2021
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